Six rounds of polio eradication initiative planned

Pakistan will conduct six rounds of polio eradication initiative (NIDs) in 2006 and four rounds in 2007. In addition, four mop up rounds in 2006 and two mop up rounds in 2007 will be planned in areas with evidence of virus circulation.
According to an official source, the estimated oral polio vaccine (OPV), needed for the supplemental immunisation activities (SIA) during the project period, is for approximately 461.3 million doses at an estimated cost of $61.4 million.
IDA will finance OPV procurement for $46.7 million, $12.8 million will be from the Government of Japan and while remaining $1.9 million expected from the Pakistan Government.
The second component of polio eradication initiative (PEI) be supplemental operations consisting; maintenance of cold chain; social mobilisation; and training. All implementation arrangements are in place for these operations.
The national, provincial and district units are supported by WHO and Unicef through international and national staff to oversee the activities in the field. The system functions well, and during 2004 and 2005 an average coverage of about 97 percent of the targeted population had been achieved, the sources said.
The surveillance system is fully functional and data is regularly being reviewed by technical advisory group in collaboration with the government counterparts and technical partners.
The total budget needed for SIAs during 2006-07 is about $100.4 million of which $61.4 million is needed for OPV procurement. IDA will only finance component ie procurement of OPV.
The Government of Japan is expected to finance $12.8 million for OPV procurement; and IDA will finance the remaining gap of $46.7 million. The cost of supplemental operations and surveillance ($39.0 million) will be financed by WHO and Unicef.
According to official sources, the project development objective is to assist Pakistan's effort to eradicate polio through supply of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for the country's supplementary immunisation activities (SIAs) during 2006-07.
The Second Partnership for Polio Eradication Project (SPPEP) is part of the WHO-led multi-country effort, and will contribute to a global public good, ie, the eradication of polio from the world.
SPPEP is a follow-on project of the partnership for polio eradication project.
The project will support the World Health Organisation (WHO)-launched global polio eradication initiative, the largest public health initiative that had successfully eliminated polio from all but 6 countries' with only 1258 and 1262 cases reported globally in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
Despite the progress, the situation remained fragile, as during 2004/05, there were polio outbreaks in eight countries following importation and re-establishment of virus transmission. Polio virus transmission in endemic countries remained the last hurdle for a polio free world as a single infected child can put entire world's children at risk.
Operationalising SIA is a challenging task, which immunises over 30 million children in each round.
SIAs are being effectively implemented with 97 percent of the target group immunised during 2004 and 2005 rounds.
A fully functional AFP surveillance system provides regular quality data to help identify districts with virus circulation and is used as a guide to modify programme strategies as needed. Information from the AFP system has identified 13 of 120 districts as high risk due to WPV transmission in 2005, decreasing from 39 high-risk districts in 2001.